Greetings everyone!
Over the last few days, North Star has been crossing the Gulf of Alaska.
We are now entering a new phase of the voyage: the long push toward the Northwest Passage.
We are entering a new phase of our voyage. Over the last few days we have been crossing the Gulf of Alaska, and are now in Prince William Sound
No picture can do justice to the amazing views around us
CROSSING THE GULF OF ALASKA
Long-time readers of my blog have probably heard me say that I never wanted to do another open ocean passage. They are long, boring and sometimes uncomfortable. Roberta and I crossed the Atlantic in 2004 and the Pacific in 2009. We kind of figure we’ve “been there, done that.” However, this trip through the Northwest Passage leaves us no choice, as it involves some unavoidable long stretches, the first of which is the Gulf of Alaska.
On the positive side, I’ve been wanting something to really give the boat a good test, to see how it would do in rough seas, and the Gulf of Alaska would not disappoint.
RUNNING AROUND THE CLOCK
Much of the trip through the NW Passage will involve running around the clock. Running from Juneau to Prince William Sound is a two-and-a-half-day trip. We decided to set the schedule such that everyone would do three hours at the helm followed by 9 hours of rest. Roberta and I would drive the boat from 9am to noon each day and from 9pm to midnight.
For those who are curious, here is our watch schedule:
0000-0300 – Lydia
0300-0600 – Hudson
0600-0900 – Garrett
0900-1200 – Ken & Roberta
1200-1500 – Lydia
1500-1800 – Hudson
1800-2100 – Garrett
2100-0000 – Ken and Roberta
The Gulf of Alaska can be calm, miserable, or dangerous. Roberta and I crossed it once before on flat calm seas. We weren’t so lucky this time. Our two days in the Gulf of Alaska were well into the miserable category.
That said, we never felt in danger. I once asked Dan Streech, President of Nordhavn Yachts, how rough of seas his boats could handle. His response, “You will give up long before the boat gives up.” Expedition yachts, like those made by Nordhavn, and North Star, our Doggersbank yacht, are designed to deal with ocean passages and rough seas. The boats are heavy, with the weight down low. The hulls are strong, and they carry massive amounts of fuel for long-distance cruising. They don’t move fast but they cross oceans in comfort and safety.
For two days we have had sea conditions that didn’t look that bad when we were doing our trip planning. We were expecting four-foot waves that were about eight seconds apart, and that was what we got. We expected the waves to be on our left side (port beam) but they actually came at us from our forward-left side (on the port bow). What made life interesting was the steady wind. We thought we would get 5 to 10kts of wind, but we were consistently plowing directly into 15 to 25kts of wind. We also had a current pushing us for part of the journey. The bottom line on all of this is that we had a lumpy ride.
North Star has an inclinometer which allows us to know exactly how the boat is rolling side to side or pitching up and down
North Star has stabilizers to prevent rolling side to side. Looking at the inclinometer I was actually surprised to see that we were constantly rolling side to side around 4 degrees every few seconds. I felt minimal rolling, probably overrided by the pitching action. Side to side motion was not a problem. Our new stabilizers worked flawlessly.
Stabilizers do not help with pitching, which is the boat’s up/down motion or teeter-tottering. North Star was consistently pitching as much as 12 degrees down and 25 degrees up. With roughly 45 feet of boat forward of the pivot point, that meant the bow was moving up and down nearly 30 feet several times a minute.
NOTE: The inclinometer is part of the Maretron system on the boat and has never been calibrated. The 40 degree swing from high to low seems too big to be believed. I’m not sure how we could actually calibrate it, but I suspect the wind readings were low and the pitching was reading high. The feeling I described as “miserable” I can absolutely vouch for.
Inside the boat, movement was difficult without holding onto something. I felt sorry for Chef Dani who had nice dinners planned, but cooking was very difficult and appetites were low. I don’t know of anyone who was seriously seasick but we were all uncomfortable. When Roberta and I weren’t at the helm, we tried watching TV. Our heavy couch in the main salon consistently slid back and forth a couple of inches. Pixie, our Klee Kai pup, refused to come out of our stateroom preferring to huddle under a desk. Taking the dogs outside to the aft cockpit to their potty tray was an adventure.
Across the Gulf of Alaska the boat pitched up and down, up and down, relentlessly, for thirty-nine hours. Not my idea of a good time
AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT OUR ROUGH SEAS
Four dads rowing 3,100 miles across the Pacific
I was surfing YouTube, feeling sorry for myself when I stumbled onto this news report. Four fathers are in a row boat rowing from Washington State to Hawaii, a 3,100 mile trip. They are in the middle as I write this and weeks from arrival in Hawaii.
To see the news report, click this link: https://youtu.be/wPn92NmKPa8?si=GOHv5qzb0PyT09Jj
I wanted to learn more about their trip and started searching YouTube for more news reports. As I was doing it I stumbled into a second news report (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpmO0ZxTI70 ) about Kelsey Pfendler a young lady heading from San Francisco to Hawaii, in a rowboat, all alone.
After looking at these reports, I felt very spoiled and properly humbled.
SAFETY DRILL
Prior to entering the Gulf of Alaska we conducted an extensive safety review. In the NW Passage if we were to need help, it could easily be a week away. We have to be very self-sufficient and prepared for everything; cuts and bruises, stitching wounds, broken limbs, even abandoning the ship in freezing conditions.
As part of our safety drill we located the eleven (11) immersion suits we have onboard and verified that they fit and that everyone knew where to find them
We purchased an extreme medical kit for the voyage. What you see here in these bags is the medical gear, and medications, we have onboard. We have an emergency doctor available to call 24 hours a day
Looking at our “ditch kit” in case we’d ever need to abandon ship
Demonstrating how to work the flares. We also went through how to launch the lifeboats
In my last email newsletter there was a picture of legs hanging from a bathroom ceiling. Those legs belong to Capt Garrett. He was showing us the emergency exit from our master stateroom.
North Star is built to classification standards, although it is not classed due to extra cost and bureaucracy. (This is not required for private recreational vessels.) I’m sure that many of you have no idea what that means. Large yachts and commercial vessels are often built “to class,” meaning an outside classification society — such as Lloyd’s, ABS, DNV, Bureau Veritas, or RINA — has reviewed the design, inspected the construction, and confirmed that the vessel meets their standards for hull strength, machinery, stability, electrical systems, fire safety, and other critical systems.
One of the many safety standards on a classed vessel is that each sleeping cabin must have a secondary means of escape, so occupants have another way out if fire or smoke blocks the main door. I’m sure this excellent requirement has frustrated many naval architects. Roberta and I actually have several paths to safety in the event of a disaster, one of which is through the ceiling of the master bath, exiting under a settee in the main salon. Whether or not I’d actually be fit enough or skinny enough to fit through the escape portal as Capt Garrett is demonstrating is subject to debate. Hopefully I’ll never need to find out. (Note: Roberta found she could easily fit through!)
I mentioned in my last email newsletter that we had feet hanging from the ceiling in our master stateroom. Here you can see what they are. This is Capt Garrett showing that it is possible to climb into the salon from the owner’s cabin bathroom
Where is it written that safety briefings have to be dull? We don’t think so. Taken seriously, yes. Boring? Never.
Email Ken, at ken@mvnorthstar.com with your questions. I’ll answer most of them in the next issue of the blog (or email newsletter, whatever this is)
Hi Ken and Roberta,
A question about the trip through the narrows. We know and have seen the whirlpools that you and others have posted. At what size boat do they become a problem and what happened in Sans Souci when you encountered them?
Travel safe, we are very envious,
Paul and Marlene V
Response from Ken – Hi Paul and Marlene,
Good question.
We actually didn’t see any whirlpools in Wrangell Narrows. I’m not sure whether that was because we happened to hit it near slack water, or because Wrangell Narrows just doesn’t have the right combination of current, bottom shape, and constriction to create them. My guess is the latter, but I wouldn’t bet the boat on it.
That said, we’ve certainly seen plenty of whirlpools over the years in the Pacific Northwest and along the Inside Passage. Most of them are more of an annoyance than a danger, but there are definitely places where they need to be taken seriously.
I haven’t run into any yet with North Star, but I hit plenty of them with Sans Souci, our Nordhavn 68, with our Grand Banks 60, and even with our little 25-foot SAFE Boat. In my experience, the issue isn’t simply boat size. A bigger boat is harder to throw around, but it is also a lot more boat to manage if the current starts pushing you somewhere you don’t want to go. Speed, steerage, sea room, and timing all matter.
The best way to deal with whirlpools is to avoid the bad ones. The chart usually gives clues, and the guidebooks are very good about calling out the nasty spots. Some areas really should only be transited at or near slack water. Near Dent Island, for example, there is a well-known whirlpool area — the name is escaping me at the moment — where timing the current is important.
For the smaller ones, I’ve generally found that the best approach is to keep positive control of the boat and get through them without dawdling. Not necessarily “go fast” in a reckless way, but don’t let the boat become a floating cork either. You want enough speed for the rudders to work and enough room that if the current sets you sideways, it doesn’t set you into trouble.
The most memorable whirlpool experience I had was on Sans Souci, when we lost steering at exactly the wrong moment. A whirlpool caught us and spun the boat all the way around. No damage, fortunately, but it definitely got my attention. It was one of those boating moments you don’t forget.
So my short answer would be: most whirlpools are harmless if you have power, steerage, and room. The dangerous ones are the ones in narrow places, near rocks, or in areas with big tidal current. Boat size helps, but planning and timing help a lot more.
Traveling safely so far — and thanks for following along!
Ken W
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Hi Ken,
Loved your first newsletter aboard the yacht. All sounds terrific, enjoyed the photos.
I’m wondering how easy/hard it is to co-exist with other people aboard? Is a relationship with the captain and crew easy to establish? Is there a sort of tacit “distance” you maintain — not exactly employees, not exactly friends?
Looking forward to your first “review” of how the yacht is working for you. You made so many major changes to the layout I’d love to hear if they worked out as planned.
Been following your adventures since your first global run years ago.
John S
Stuart FL/ Middletown RI
Response from Ken – I have a longer answer on the crew relationship down below, so .. keep reading.
As to the interior changes, we are thrilled with everything we have done, but someday want to go back into the shipyard and do a bit more.
A few brief comments: We expanded the galley getting rid of a sitting area that was on the starboard side, and replacing it with a coffee area and more storage. That has been a great change. The seating area was small and somewhat useless whereas the coffee area gets regular use.
I fought getting rid of the Sun Pad on the fly bridge and replacing it with the hot tub. I wanted the hot tub in the center of the fly bridge, primarily because it would save money. With 20/20 hindsight, I was wrong. By spending the extra time and money to “do it right” we opened up a lot of space on the fly bridge for water toys, extra storage, entertaining and more. It cost more but was the right answer.
We ripped out a wet bar that was in the main salon and gave me a desk. I love it! We’re not big drinkers and find this layout much better.
There are a couple of projects I want to do “sooner or later.” The master stateroom has a bath tub, and we’d rather have a shower. There just wasn’t time to do the swap. There’s still some cabinetry that shows its age. We did some woodwork, but there’s more to be done. And … as I’m typing this, that’s all I can think of. The boat is working perfectly for us.
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Hi Ken,
I’m enjoying following along with you and Roberta on your current journey.
And since you mentioned questions, I do have a question: you have four crew with you, and a 90 foot boat isn’t small, but it’s also not very big. Where do people go in the evening when you’re at an anchorage? That can be a lot of hours to fill, so asking the crew to stay in their quarters doesn’t seem logistically appropriate. Do you mingle with them in the evening? Do you have parts of the ship that are accepted to be more or less “public” and others that are private? Are there parts that in the evenings essentially become “for the crew” that you stay out of? Curious how you decided to handle it. It’s got to be a big change having all those people around after sailing for so long with the two of you.
Thanks,
Matt
Response from Ken –
It’s not an easy question, or at least there are no easy answers. On many boats, perhaps the majority, the crew is treated like family. I know of several boats where the crew regularly dines, hikes, fishes, watches tv, etc with the owners. And then there are boats where the crew and the owners don’t talk beyond relaying commands. Roberta and I are somewhere in between, leaning toward a healthy degree of separation from the crew.
When selecting North Star, we deliberately sought a boat with decent sized crew quarters. For a 90-foot boat, the crew quarters on North Star are quite generous. They have two staterooms, one with two bunks, and two heads, plus their own galley and dining area. They can also come and go through their own entrance without having to pass through the main salon.
We want the crew to have fun. We encourage them to go hiking, fishing, crabbing, nature photography, anything they can do to have fun. There are times when work needs to be done, but there is also time available for recreation. One secret to keeping good people is ensuring they like what they are doing. We prioritize safety and good times for everyone aboard North Star!
You can view North Star’s layout by clicking this link:
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Hi Ken.
Thank you for your very interesting blog. I will just clear out for you about the traffic sign with the word «Fartsdemper». It is a Norwegian word for speed bump.
I wish you good journey and I look forwards to follow your blogs and videos.
Best Regards
Lars M
Norway
Ken’s response – Great answer. Thank you!
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Are you sure Captain Garrett is over 21?
He looks young and strong!
And your engineer looks like a Crosby Stills Nash and Young devotee! 😉
Mark W
Response from Ken – I forget Capt. Garrett’s age. I think he is in his 30s, and as you said, he is indeed young and strong. As to Hudson, our engineer, both he and I got a chuckle out of your CSNY comparison. Thanks!
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Hello Ken and Roberta. One of your videos came up in my YouTube feed a few weeks ago and my interest was immediately captured. I have read your story and congratulate you on your great business success so early in life.
I am so enjoying everything about this adventure. I am an 80 year old gentleman who knows nothing about the ocean so your level of cruising is new to me.
Also, I am an amateur photographer, specializing in 360° cameras. I would have loved the opportunity to have created an immersive virtual tour of your boat.
I pray for a safe journey for you and crew and thanks for the updates.
Blessings
Ray L
Response from Ken – Thank you Ray! We do have a 360 camera on board and have done some amazing work with it. Check out the instagram feed – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZWHQRMpxlh/
I have 360 degree video of our entire trip through Wrangell Narrows, but haven’t decided what to do with it. It’s about 6gb of data, which is hard to deal with from on the boat. Uploading it may have to wait until we are back home.
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Hey Ken,
Sierra fan from childhood, as I’m sure many of your readers are. Thanks for the memories. I’m glad you’ve resumed writing because video blogs aren’t really my thing.
You asked about reader questions in your recent newsletter, and I’ve got one for you that’s not related to boating. As a programmer from way back, I bet you have thoughts on AI-assisted coding. I’m curious about them.
Would you have used AI to speed the process up when you were building Colossal Cave?
Do you worry that today’s entry-level programmers won’t end up developing the skills that helped you succeed?
Wishing you and Roberta the best,
Jason A
Response from Ken – Jason, you’ve asked a very interesting question, and one I think about whenever I’m not thinking about boating. First the easy answer: Our recent game release, Colossal Cave 3d, would have cost less to produce if we could have used AI. I’ve been working on a Radar Simulator using Claude Opus from Anthropic. The project is almost complete and I haven’t looked at a line of code.
The fact that I haven’t personally written code does not mean that “anyone could have done it.” In fact, I have gone through over 200 iterations of changes. I compare it to a home builder’s use of power tools. The worker can know how to hammer a nail, but can accomplish more, and move faster, using a nail gun. The job gets done better, faster and at a lower cost when efficiency is boosted. I look at my radar simulator and marvel at what I’ve produced. If I had built it using normal coding practices I don’t think I could have done it. The math would have been beyond my capabilities and it would have taken years to develop.
As to your question about entry level programmers, I don’t know. I’m about as experienced an engineer as exists, and it has taken me months of study to feel like I can effectively use AI. It’s a rapidly evolving field and trying to understand all the moving parts is not easy. I’ve watched countless hours of YouTube videos and am still feeling like a rookie. I know that people who have put in the time to really dig deep on AI will be in hot demand. Everyone is “entry level” as we enter this new world. Those who don’t want to learn modern tools will fall behind. A new industry is being born. It would be an amazing time to be starting a career in engineering.
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Hi Ken, just a congratulatory greeting. Glad the trip is going well. Your comment about being guests on your own boat is a wonderful development. We have done more cruising on cruise ships than our own boat the last 2 years. We were just up there 2 weeks ago. 40 and foggy. The TV Picture mount is amazing. The picture of you and Roberta in the hot tub appeared to be in scale.. lol. Lastly, the fuel burn is spectacular. Don’t know your speed but I’m guessing riding the currents is helping. Thank you for the blog and the videos. Again I’m am thrilled for you both after everything you have been through. I think you found your last boat..
Cheers,
Chris P
Response from Ken – North Star is an amazingly efficient boat. We are running at 10kts, 1400rpm, burning 8.5 gallons per hour on each of the Cat 3196 engines. In addition we are running a 30kw genset constantly when away from the dock, and in some cases at the dock. I’m not sure how much fuel the genset consumes. I’d guess it at around 1.5 gallons per hour.
It does feel good to be writing again. My YouTube videos get a wider audience, but at heart, I’m a writer, not a filmmaker. Thanks!
AND LASTLY
Your questions and feedback are the best part of my blog! I have an incredibly smart group of readers, and I’ve learned more from my readers than could ever be imagined.
You are encouraged to participate in the discussion! Email any questions directly to me. I’ll answer you via email or include some subset of the questions in my next newsletter. If I include your submission in the newsletter I’ll list only your first name and last initial.
Write to me at: ken@mvnorthstar.com
That’s it for this edition of the blog.
Ken and Roberta Williams, with Pixie and Keeley
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CHECK OUT OUR LATEST VIDEO GAME: COLOSSAL CAVE 3D!
Roberta and I are video game developers when we aren’t on a boat, having published literally hundreds of games during our long career. Our most recent game is a re-imagining of a fifty-year-old classic game called “Adventure (aka Colossal Cave).”
